29 year old Engineer with schizophrenia

[Ibrahim Khozam]

Hi,
what are the chances of a 29 year old engineer passing and succeeding at the MCAT despite the fact that he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is taking risperdal which has side effects on memory and learning.

This is a dilemma for someone who is father and sister are doctors and brother is a pharmacist and is in love with the idea of going into medicine. I wonder what it takes to go about succeeding at the MCAT with such circumstances. should this opportunity be given at this age 29? especially that now he has to take the pre-reqs for the MCAT? considering that he has not succeeded well in engineering and has found it tedious and boring?

I appreciate your prompt response ont this and any questions you may have

Thanks and regards

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[gmcguitar4]

Hi,
what are the chances of a 29 year old engineer passing and succeeding at the MCAT despite the fact that he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is taking risperdal which has side effects on memory and learning.

This is a dilemma for someone who is father and sister are doctors and brother is a pharmacist and is in love with the idea of going into medicine. I wonder what it takes to go about succeeding at the MCAT with such circumstances. should this opportunity be given at this age 29? especially that now he has to take the pre-reqs for the MCAT? considering that he has not succeeded well in engineering and has found it tedious and boring?

I appreciate your prompt response ont this and any questions you may have

Thanks and regards

The age isnt the issue at all. The diagnosis could potentially give that person problems. I've personally never met/heard of a physician with that disorder. Medical schools are going to consider whether your disorder will be a problem when handling patients. If you are going to deliver a lower quality of care to a patient or possibly put them in danger because you are experiencing an "episode" then you should consider another field.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Mental illness still has a huge stigma in our society. I wouldn't be surprised if the doors were closed for someone with that diagnosis, but I don't have any direct knowledge to say you're out of the race.

What is prompting you to go to medical school now that you're 29? Have you been asymptomatic for some time? How long? Even if your medication affects memory, has it affected it for you? If yes, are you still able to perform well on tasks?

Others may want to chime in as to what are the possibilities of keeping the diagnosis private and the ethics behind it. I don't have an opinion on that, although I think honesty is always the best policy if asked directly.

 

[Goro]

Chances do not sound good. Have you talked to your psychiatrist or pharmacist about this?

We've had one student who had a psychoactive illness like yours; he eventually was dismissed becasue he was failing and not taking his meds.

Hi,
what are the chances of a 29 year old engineer passing and succeeding at the MCAT despite the fact that he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is taking risperdal which has side effects on memory and learning.

This is a dilemma for someone who is father and sister are doctors and brother is a pharmacist and is in love with the idea of going into medicine. I wonder what it takes to go about succeeding at the MCAT with such circumstances. should this opportunity be given at this age 29? especially that now he has to take the pre-reqs for the MCAT? considering that he has not succeeded well in engineering and has found it tedious and boring?

I appreciate your prompt response ont this and any questions you may have

Thanks and regards

 

[Ibrahim Khozam]

Hi, I was actually most concerned about the age issue, the fact that I am 29 and I would have to sacrifice any possible income for the sake of studying medicine. I am the son and the brother of two doctors and the brother of a pharamacist so I am heavily influenced by the field of healthcare and I havent had the great interest in engineering that I was hoping for.
As for performing on tasks I perform pretty well still but unfortunately I dont perform that well on exams due to learning disability especially on an exam like the mcat where i have to take extra time to read and comprehend.
I was hoping this could be considered a disability and be the base for extra time during examination. Not sure how tolerable this is in the medical field.
I am seeing a psychiatrist today and will be discussing this particular issue with him.
What do you think?

 

[TriagePreMed]

Hi, I was actually most concerned about the age issue, the fact that I am 29 and I would have to sacrifice any possible income for the sake of studying medicine. I am the son and the brother of two doctors and the brother of a pharamacist so I am heavily influenced by the field of healthcare and I havent had the great interest in engineering that I was hoping for.
As for performing on tasks I perform pretty well still but unfortunately I dont perform that well on exams due to learning disability especially on an exam like the mcat where i have to take extra time to read and comprehend.
I was hoping this could be considered a disability and be the base for extra time during examination. Not sure how tolerable this is in the medical field.
I am seeing a psychiatrist today and will be discussing this particular issue with him.
What do you think?

A psychiatrist might be able to give you some insight as to the medical culture's take on your issue, but unless that psychiatry has had an interest or some kind of experience with being in school's admission, you might need to ask more people.

 

[Goro]

If a mere four years of lost income is more important than wanting to be a doctor, then you're interested in the wrong field. My oldest student ever was over 50 when he matriculated. Some of my best started med school in their mid-to-late 40s.

You are allowed to ask for accomodation for more exam time with a doctor's note. A number of my students do this.

Hi, I was actually most concerned about the age issue, the fact that I am 29 and I would have to sacrifice any possible income for the sake of studying medicine. I am the son and the brother of two doctors and the brother of a pharamacist so I am heavily influenced by the field of healthcare and I havent had the great interest in engineering that I was hoping for.
As for performing on tasks I perform pretty well still but unfortunately I dont perform that well on exams due to learning disability especially on an exam like the mcat where i have to take extra time to read and comprehend.
I was hoping this could be considered a disability and be the base for extra time during examination. Not sure how tolerable this is in the medical field.
I am seeing a psychiatrist today and will be discussing this particular issue with him.
What do you think?